Week 1

For He has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." So much promise in one simple verse, and spoken by God who never changes. This was close to my heart this week, as I stepped into my first official week of teaching here at BFA. I've been pondering what to write all week, and am eager to share about my first week of teaching!  I've spent the last month working through the curriculum materials made available to me so on Monday I felt as prepared as I knew how to be, and yet still had that 'new teacher' butterfly sensation. This semester, I am responsible for two sections of group piano classes, and Music Appreciation. The students seem eager to learn and I'm looking forward to the challenge of keeping things interesting while progressing according to the course guides. The students have about a week at the beginning of the semester to finalize their schedules, so teaching this week was challenging because class size fluctuated a bit. I think that our discussions in piano class about tetrachords, intervals and scale fingerings were still beneficial, though! 

Through each day, I have been asking God to show me my role here.  I find myself asking Him to show me the individuals who He wants me to encourage or pour into and have been encouraged to see who He sends to my office or guides me to around campus. In addition to classroom teaching and private lessons, I am also co-leading a small group of senior girls. They are bright and enjoyable to be around, and from the first time we met, the showed an eagerness to talk and ask questions about life. Please pray with me for them as they seek God's will regarding their futures. 

On Saturday evening, I had the joy of being a part of the senior recital of a student who is gifted not only in performing on several instruments, but also in musical composition. I was privileged not only to accompany him, but also to assist in the performing of one of his own works. This young man has grown much as a person and a musician over the last several years, so this recital was a huge milestone of personal achievement for him. One of the things I love about music is that it can be so much fun to perform, and this recital was no exception! Accompanying is going to continue to be part of my role here, so you'll be hearing more about those adventures in the coming months.

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I'd love to hear from you, and learn how I can pray for you so feel free to comment below, or email me by clicking here.

Praises:

1. My support came in and allowed me to be here!! I know this isn't new, but I'm still VERY thankful!

2. New friendships, and renewed old ones.

3. Wisdom and courage to proceed through the first week of teaching.

Prayer requests:

1. That I will stay close to God, and have deep, rich times of quiet with Him.

2. That I will be able to view the "big picture" for the semester as I teach each day, and help my students progress through new material.

3. That I will use my time wisely and prioritize well as I prepare for classes and work to keep my own musical skills up to par.